Reworked on one of my old posts. Author – Historian Venkatesh Ramakrishnan reached out to me on this poem. Now he is trying his hand on Sangam literature translations! Welcome to the club. This is one of the cutest poems in Sangam literature. Thalaivi is getting caught by mother. The situation is beautifully portrayed in few lines.

The interpretation difference is due to santham pirithal or splitting on words, some versions have எம்மை and other have வெம்மை. வெம்மை – Vemmai – means – burn/heat etc. , எம்மை – means us or my lord or what a world. Using any of these interpretations would still make sense. Hence the beauty of this poems.

Tall wave breaking the white sands, here alludes to the gossips which break her love meetings. Now that she is caught she wont be let alone anywhere and only way forward is marriage proposal from hero to her family.